The intersection of music and politics is a growing area of discussion in musicology. In the context of contemporary global tensions, a considerable number of conferences and publications have recently explored the relationship between art and propaganda, political theory and aesthetic discourse, state censorship, cultural policies, and related topics.

A significant milestone in this area was reached approximately a decade ago with the publication of books such as Twentieth-Century Music and Politics, edited by Pauline Fairclough (New York: Ashgate, 2013) and Composing for the State: Music in Twentieth-Century Dictatorships, edited by Esteban Buch, Igor Contreras Zubillaga, and Manuel Deniz Silva (New York: Ashgate, 2016). Since then, a substantial corpus of research has been dedicated to the examination of music in totalitarian states. Among others, the study of fascism and music also reached a peak around 2022, coinciding with the centenary of the March on Rome.

While the recent focus on twentieth-century totalitarian regimes remains crucial, it should not overshadow other aspects. The focus on the recent past is rooted in a strict interpretation of the term politics, which is defined as either the governance of a modern state or the construction of an ideology. However, when viewed within a broader historical context, the terms politics and policies can imply notions of moral philosophy and ethics, assume theological and religious connotations, or serve as components within a philosophy of history. Policies also encompass cultural diplomacy, migration processes, and the negotiation of identities.

The study group’s objective is to foster the advancement of scholarship concerning the nexus of music and politics from both diachronic and synchronic perspectives, encompassing diverse geographical frameworks, methodologies, and historical periods. This requires an interdisciplinary approach: the study of the intersection of music and politics appeals, at its very nature, to the combination of musicology with methodologies of disciplines such as political science, philosophy, and the history of political doctrines.

The topic also allows for a broad definition of the music phenomenon, encompassing art music, folk repertoires linked to social functions, as well as music created for mass media, for political contexts (e.g., hymns, anthems, and songs), and for entertainment.

The study group welcomes scholars who wish to contribute their ideas and perspectives in a collegial spirit.

Francesco Finocchiaro (IT)

Anna Ficarella (IT), Konstantin Hirschmann (AT), Magdalina Kalopana (GR), Carolin Krahn (DE), Katarzyna Naliwajek (PL), Nikos Ordoulidis (GR), Cristina Eleonora Pascu (RO), Qinyu Yu (CN/AU)